121 Shares

Share

Boston Strong.Photo: Andrew Burton/2014 Getty Images

Thirty-eight-year-old Meb Keflezighi became the first male U.S. runner since 1983 to win the Boston Marathon today, with a time of 2 hours 8 minutes and 37 seconds, while Kenya's Rita Jeptoo, 33, defended her title on the women's side. More than 35,000 others participated in the annual run — 9,000 more than last year, when two bombs killed three people and injured more than 250.

"Take back that finish line!" yelled the race's announcer this morning as the sun shone down on a mix of memorial tributes and pure, adrenaline-fueled joy.